Albany County District Attorney David Soares says he hopes other states will now follow the trend he hopes New York is setting.
It's been one week since Soares led a raid on an Orlando, Fla. pharmacy, attacking a steroid distribution ring while passing up Albany-area buyers. That approach has won support and criticism.
On the street it's called “officer's discretion.” Sometimes a cop lets you off with a warning. Sometimes a district attorney declines to prosecute. But in this case, Albany County's district attorney is making a very big deal about some Florida doctors and pharmacists while disregarding the local people who are buying the steroids.
Soares says people who buy steroids from places like Signature Pharmacy are committing a crime.
“It is illegal to be in possession of a drug that is illegally prescribed,” he said at a news conference Monday.
And the district attorney says there is no shortage of steroid lawbreakers locally.
“There are many purchasers here in our county,” Soares said.
But even after a two-year investigation involving a major commitment of time, manpower and local tax dollars, Soares has arrested 11 people from Florida, a couple from other parts of the state, but no one from the Capital Region. He gives several reasons. One is his approach to drug enforcement.
“My philosophy in championing the issues of Rockefeller [drug law] reform is that people who are users should be offered treatment,” Soares explained.
The district attorney says failing to prosecute steroid users also gives them an incentive to cooperate with investigators.
Often cops go the opposite direction, filing charges against drug suspects as a way of forcing cooperation.
Soares is also not pursuing individuals who can make millions off steroid use and alter the outcome of major sporting events. He was asked at the Monday news conference how many professional athletes he was aware of that were buyers.
“Many,” he answered.
“I'm not going to go down that road,” he added as the reported tried to press the issue.
What he is going to do is go forward with prosecuting what he says is one of the top five steroid rings in the country, even though that isn't going to end steroid use.
“There's always going to be someplace where they can acquire these materials. However, what we are doing, we are destroying the easy access,” Soares said.
Sheriff's Inspector John Burke described Soares' Florida raids as a waste of money.
In the coming months we'll see whether other prosecutors adopt the Soares approach and whether it changes a steroid culture many recognize, but have been unable to destroy.
